A Cathedral grad found himself in a quarterback competition, but not for the starting spot after that was his role for 11 games as a freshman last fall.
Danny O’Neil transferred after a season as San Diego State’s starting quarterback and found himself Thursday night taking important snaps for Wisconsin in its season opener. O’Neil was the backup to Badgers starter Billy Edwards Jr., but took over for him after Edwards suffered a non-contact injury to his left leg in the first half and was ruled out for the rest of the game. The severity of Edwards’ injury is not yet known.
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“He’s only in his second year. But for a second-year guy, he’s played a lot of football, obviously being a full-year starter,” Edwards told reporters of O’Neil during fall camp. “I think the biggest thing is just his poise and confidence, his maturity as a 19, 20-year-old — whatever he is — how he goes about his business, the process.”
It’s been a journey for O’Neil. He first committed to coach Deion Sanders and Colorado after a visit to Boulder. But then a coaching change at the coordinator level occurred. And when Sean Lewis became coach at San Diego State, that’s where O’Neil followed.
He started 11 games and threw for 2,181 yards, 12 touchdowns to six interceptions and completed 63.3% of his passes. He also rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown. O’Neil was 3-2 in his first five games — the Aztecs lost a game at Cal that O’Neil missed due to injury — before losing the final six.
O’Neil ended up at Wisconsin, where Luke Fickell is in his third season and hired offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes to take over. The veteran Edwards was tabbed the starter early on and handled most snaps during camp, save for a few practices during fall camp due to injury.
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“The things we’ve added to the playbook — we know how to tailor around his game better for when he’s in,” Wisconsin quarterbacks coach Kenny Guiton said. “… We know that he can get people in the right places and move his feet in the pocket and make some good decisions. And every now and then, we can move him around and get him out as well.”
Wisconsin will play at Indiana on Nov. 15, a return to the Hoosier State for O’Neil.
The two-time City Player of the Year was rated a three-star recruit out of high school. He completed 61.6% of his passes as a senior for 2,068 yards and 31 touchdowns with 10 interceptions and rushed for 722 yards and eight TDs. For his Cathedral career, O’Neil passed for 7,786 yards and 98 TDs with and rushed for 1,326 yards and 27 scores.
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How Danny O’Neil played with Wisconsin football as backup quarterback
It was an understandably shaky start for O’Neil taking over an offense he hadn’t had much practice with. There were several plays he made with his legs to get a first down and move the chains, his locks flowing out of the back of his helmet.
But the joy came after some hardship. The Badgers took a timeout before a fourth-and-3 play after a heavy dose of runs on the drive. O’Neil faked a handoff, double clutched and then floated a pass into one-on-one coverage that was intercepted.
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Fast forward to the next drive and O’Neil had several key throws, and a 17-yard rush. An 11-yard completion to Eugene Hilton Jr. was the first collegiate catch for the son of former Indianapolis Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton. Then came a 22-yard gain to tight end Grant Stec.
That set up a 3-yard touchdown to Vinny Anthony II for the Badgers’ first touchdown of the season.
Danny O’Neil stats vs Miami Ohio
After three quarters, Wisconsin led Miami Ohio 10-0. O’Neil was 9 for 14 for 97 yards, one touchdown, one interception and rushed for 9 yards.
IndyStar reporter Kyle Neddenriep and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter John Steppe contributed to this report.
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This story will be updated.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Cathedral grad Danny O’Neil is Wisconsin quarterback: Billy Edwards Jr. injury
